James Potter and the Precious
by Whitney Rose
Summary: The people on Athene Street all agreed that the Potters were strange folk and they were quite correct, though they didn't know anything of the hidden wizarding world, and nothing of the destiny of James Potter, the father of the boy who lived.
1. Prologue

From the writers that brought you Harry Potter and the Magic Lamp is James Potter and the Precious...  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything slightly related to it.  
  
A/N 5-6: Well, I've been trying to get this up... been too obsessed with finding Orlando Bloom pics and constantly roleplaying... *giggles* And we're currently stuck with Harry Potter and the Magic Lamp (Which you should read if you haven't already...)  
  
CHAPTER 1: Destiny  
  
(Anna... er, this chapter is rather short. But she wrote all of it... what a big surprise.)  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Potter of number 6, Athene Street, had they known Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley, would probably be proud to say they were nothing like them. They were the first people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, just because of how they lived.  
Number 6, Athene Street, was a creamy-colored, largish house. There were no recognizable plants in the front yard, though the garden was large. (Number 3, a botanist, had actually gone down and checked each individual plant, and had confirmed to Ms. Number 7 that not one of the plants was any kind he'd seen before.) They had a large cat or rather small leopard, that they called Kneasle or Spot. And then there was just the strange appearance of the Potters. Mr. Gordo Potter was small and skinny, and his wife, Penelope, was, if possible, shorter. They both had jet-black hair, though Gordo's eyes were piercing blue, Penelope's hazel. Gordo had a rather long nose and always wore a black robe. Penelope scolded him for this, saying, "They Muggles'll see!" The Potters had a small son, called James, and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.  
Yes, the people on Athene Street all agreed that the Potters were strange folk and they were quite correct, though they didn't know about witches and wizards, or Hogwarts and wands, or Kneazles and Mandrakes. They knew nothing of the hidden wizarding world, and nothing of the destiny of James Potter, the father of the boy who lived.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Well... I like reviews... *hint hint* they're spiffy! Anyways, I'd just like to say that I really like this little chapter. It really hooks you to the story! Well... I should actually write something, instead of just typing... I have so many ideas! 


	2. Shopping at Diagon Alley

DISCLAIMER: I don't own James Potter... or Harry Potter... or any Potter, for that matter.  
  
A/N 5-6: Yeah, it's the same day... I type fast! giggles Anyways, this is starting to become more interesting than the roleplay, seeing as Kirby is missing...  
  
A/N 5-13: I know it's been a while since I last updated... of course, Erica takes a lot longer. But this is already written, so it should be up faster.  
  
A/N 5-17: Yes, yes, yes. I know it! UPDATE! sighs I have to write a report on The Beatles, and I've gotta finish LOTR: FOTR this week. Plus, I have like 7 chapters to type... and they're all long! AHHH! And now the internet's not working! This is just GREAT....  
  
CHAPTER 2: Shopping in Diagon Alley  
  
(Anna wrote a lot in this one, too...)  
  
Ten years had passed, and Mr. and Mrs. Potter were eagerly awaiting the acceptance letter from Hogwarts for their eleven-year-old son, James. This letter was a sort of certificate for wizarding families, a confirmation that their son or daughter would, in seven years, join the community as a full-fledged witch or wizard.  
James himself was eating breakfast when his mother bustled in, smothering him in a hug. "Oh, Jamie, Jamie, I'm so proud of you! Look! Look what's just arrived in the mail!"  
"Cmmph-smumph! Mumph! Mumph! Cmph-breeph!" Mrs. Potter released him. "Thanks, mum," said James breathlessly, taking the letter. It was on thick parchment, written in bright green ink. James's hazel eyes widened. It was his Hogwarts letter!  
Mrs. Potter ruffled James's already extremely messy black hair. "You just wait till I tell your father, he'll be so pleased, and I thought we'd have a little celebration, too! And a present, I think! Yes, a present!"  
James was turning quite pink by now with embarrassment, "Mum... it's not that big a deal, really..."  
"Oh, Jamie, don't be so modest, it's wonderful!"  
  
"Aw, mum, everyone gets one-"  
"Oh, no, Jamie, you see, very few people in the world have enough magic, and then there's distance to consider- anyway, out of all the millions of people in the world, less that 40 are chosen every year! It's very special!"  
"Forty are chosen every year, mum!"  
  
James's father certainly was please. "Excellent, excellent, son! Superb! We'll have a party as your mother says, and then we'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, and get your school things and a present- anything you like!"  
"Dad-dad-it's nothing, really-"  
"Nonsense, son, this is wonderful!"  
And so James's mother whipped up one of her delicious meals and all three Potters ate and celebrated, finally going to bed at seven (James's mother insisted that he get his sleep).  
When James was awakened at nine-thirty, (again, because Mrs. Potter wanted him to get his sleep) his mother made sure he went through his whole routine ("We're going to Diagon Alley today, dear, you've got to get yourself smartened up!"). Shower, breakfast, vitamin, comb your hair, brush your teeth, get dressed, oh, dear you've got a wrinkle, let me iron that, find your shoes... did you remember your vitamin, oh, not those socks, dear, these match the pants better, was your face, dear, oh dear, those shoes are so muddy, couldn't you wear something else-  
"Mum, no one's going to notice a bit of dust-"  
"No reason to leave it there to see. Here, dear, you haven't washed behind your ears..."  
"No one'll notice, mum!"  
"Right, because they'll be clean-"  
"Mum, I'm ready!"  
"No- now you are!" and with a flourish, she combed the hair that stuck up in the back down. It stayed for exactly two seconds, then his hairs sprang up all over the place again.  
"Oh well, dear, nothing to bed one about it, no one will even notice..."  
"I know, mum, that's what I've been trying to tell you!"  
"Well, over here, dear, to the fireplace, and here's a pinch of floo powder. Now, very clearly, dear, "Die-uh-gone A-like in apple-lee", dear, and tuck your elbows in and-"  
"Mum, I know how to use floo powder!"  
"Of course, dear, of course! Now, your father will go first, so mind you don't get out till you see him, and I'll come right behind-"  
"Mum! It'll be okay! It's just floo powder!"  
"Oh, you're so brave, honey, now Gordo, you just go in, that's it." Gordo Potter dropped the floo powder into the fire, and, walking into the green flames, said very clearly, "Diagon Alley," and vanished.  
James took a pinch of the stuff, and before his mother could start worrying again, he dropped it into the flames, said "Diagon Alley," and left.  
When he arrived in the fire place of Diagon Alley, he stepped out, brushed himself, and, seeing his father nearby, stood to wait for his mother. When she had arrived, they headed off down Diagon Alley. James hoped to find another first year at Hogwarts-he didn't want to be the only one without a friend, but it seemed impossible with all his mother's fussing. He finally got away at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, run by an elderly witch with a daughter just out of Hogwarts, saying he'd get his robes and no, they needn't worry about him, and it would be such an awfully long and boring time waiting for him to be fitted up, and why didn't they go get some ice cream, and hopefully he'd be done when they got back.  
Alone in the back of Madam Malkin's, partway through being pinned up, another boy, who might have been James's age, but was taller than him (James was rather small for his age). "You a first year at Hogwarts, too?" he called to the boy.  
"Yes," he answered. He was a rather handsome boy whose hair fell casually over his eyes, which twinkled with mischief. Shooting a quick glance over his shoulder at who James assumed was him other, he asked, "So, what's your surname, anyway?"  
"Potter-"said James, "but you can call me James."  
"Potter's one of those good, decent, respectable pureblood names, like I was telling you, son," said the older witch. "Here's one you can trust and make friends with, the Potters are a long line of witches and wizards, not like some of those muggle-born brats, yes, good will come of him, generations upon generations of wizarding ancestry will tell you that for sure!"  
The boy was now turning pink and staring at his shoes. "Well," prompted his mother, "Introduce yourself!"  
"I'm Sirius... Sirius Black," said the boy.  
"Nice to meet you," said James.  
"Now, you see, Sirius, he's polite, more than you can say about those half-blood brats."  
James was done now, but he stayed to wait for the boy called Sirius Black. He had a feeling that Sirius was not so prejudiced against Muggles as his mother, and that they might be friends.  
When Sirius was all fitted up (much more quickly than James had expected), he asked his mother if he and James might go walk around Diagon Alley together. "It's a chance to make a good, pureblood friend!" his mother agreed.  
"Whoa, how'd you do that?" asked James once they'd left.  
"Do what?" asked Sirius incredulously.  
"I have to argue with my parents for an hour just to get them to let me go get the mail by myself, but she just-"  
"Whoa, man, they care that much about you?"  
"Eh?"  
"My mum just wants to keep up the family name..." Sirius said in disgust. "And speaking of that, sorry she kept acting like that. She's always after Muggles, and thinks you're only worth talking to if you're pureblood..."  
"That's alright. You're not like that, are you?"  
  
"Hey, this is really good! I was worried I'd go off to Hogwarts to meet a bunch of people like my family- blaming everyone for what their family's done..."  
"Why? They didn't do it, did they?" asked James confusedly.  
"James, I have a feeling we'll be friends," said Sirius.  
"Jamie, Jamie, where have you been? We were so worried about you-"It was James's mother. James felt himself turning pinker and pinker as his mother hugged him, and then began to scold him for running off while rubbing imaginary dirt from his face.  
"Mum-mmmph! Immph- just going with Sirius, my new friend here, and we were just going for a walk down Diagon Alley-"James caught Sirius looking. He almost looked at his toes, then noticed that Sirius wasn't laughing at him, he was just smiling happily at him. (Beth)  
Next they went to Ollivanders.  
"Hello? Anyone here? I think it's empty... darn, I wanted to get my wand!" said James disappointedly.  
"That's okay, James!" Sirius said, let's go get our books instead." (Whitney)  
The two made their way to Flourish and Blotts. After being helped by an old wizard in purple robes, they left, they're arms full of books.  
"Oh, Jamie, you're going to hurt yourself with all those books! Put them in your cauldron, and you're father will take them!" Mrs. Potter scooped the stack of books out of his arms, dumping them into his new standard size two pewter cauldron. "Have you gotten your wand?"  
James shook his head. "No one was there."  
His mother nodded. "Good. I want to be there when you get your wand." (Anna)  
"Why?"  
"So I can get the exact time for your first wand in the baby book along with your first step, your first smile, your first word, the first time you picked your nose, the first time you blew a spit bubble, the first- "  
"Mum, mum, I get the picture!"  
  
"Oh, dear, do you think my watch is set right? It would be so horrible if it was a minute late-"  
"Just one minute, mum, and I'm not a baby!"  
"Of course you are, you're my baby!"  
"Ah, mum-" (Whitney)  
"Would you and you're friend like some ice cream?" asked Mr. Potter, coming out of a shop.  
James looked at Sirius, who nodded. "Sure, dad!" he said, grateful to talk about something other than his first spit bubble. "By the way, this is Sirius," he added, gesturing toward his new friend. After getting two giant mint chocolate ice cream cones at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, James and Sirius left Mr. and Mrs. Potter to shop for the rest of James's supplies. (Beth)  
"Wow, your parents really care about you, don't they?"  
"Yeah, I guess they do, don't they? I'm kind of sick of it because they care so much."  
"Uh-oh... Quick, in here!" Sirius said, pulling James into Madam Malkin's.  
"What? Why?"  
"No time to explain. C'mon." Sirius said, pulling him further back.  
All of a sudden James fell over a pretty red haired girl.  
"Hi."  
"Um... hi."  
"Sorry about that. I'm James Potter. I'm just starting Hogwarts this year."  
"I'm Lily Evans. I'm starting this year, too."  
"Are you a muggle-born?" Sirius asked.  
"A what?"  
"A muggle-born... someone who has non-magic parents."  
"Oh, yeah."  
"Then I won't tell my mom about you," said Sirius.  
"Why?" asked Lily, utterly confused.  
"She thinks that purebloods are the best," (Whitney) said Sirius, looking at the ground. (Anna... If you ever read this on the internet, I'll just let you know that you've created a monster.)  
"Oh. Bye then."  
"Bye," said James breathlessly.  
"Well, she's okay," said Sirius.  
"Okay?! She's only the most beautiful girl in the world!"  
  
"Well, sure, she's pretty-"  
"Beautiful," insisted James.  
"Fine, beautiful, whatever."  
"I love her."  
"Hey, wait a second! Aren't you taking this a little fast..."  
"Fast? Who said I was going fast? I love her. I know she's gotta love me, she just hasn't said so yet."  
"Riiight..." (KRONK! Hehe, anyways...)  
"I'm gonna find her again!"  
"Eh?"  
"I'm gonna find her! I gotta talk to her again! Just look at her!"  
"Okaaay, but we gotta get our stuff first."  
"Of course! Brilliant! She's going to Hogwarts, too! So all we gotta do is follow the list, since hers'll be the same!"  
"Good-good, so long as we get our stuff!"  
"So-next stop- Apothecary- she'll need potion ingredients!"  
"So will we, don't forget!"  
The boys skipped off to the Apothecary. When they arrived, they didn't find Lily Evans ("Aww!") said James. Sirius got him to get his ingredients quickly by persuading him that it would be easier to find Lily if they had free time.  
They were off to search by Gringotts when they heard a familiar "Jamie!" Mrs. Potter bustled up. "Oh, Jamie, I was so scared you were lost or hurt or something! Never run off like that again! Oh, dear, oh Jamie!"  
"Mum! I'm okay! What could happen?"  
"Oh, any number of things! You could fall and bump your knee and get a boo-boo! Oh, my poor baby! Poor Jamie with his boo-boo! Where is it? I'll kiss it and make it all better! Where are those... those Band-Aids-"  
James was now a bright pink, and not Sirius, Sirius realized, only because of his mother's fussing. Lily Evans had come out of a shop across the street. She and her parents and a thin, horsey-looking blonde passed them. The blonde whispered and pointed, and Lily giggled. James now turned red, examining the pavement instead of Lily until they passed.  
"Mum-"he said once they had gone into Ollivander's, "Mum- I don't have a- I'm not hurt!"  
"Oh-oh, yes, I remember now. Can't be too careful, though."  
"Mum! Could I get my wand now?! Please please please?! "  
"Yes, Jamie, dear, just follow close behind."  
But James and Sirius lagged behind. "She-she wasn't laughing at me, was she, mate?"  
Sirius thought about it- he was fairly certain that Lily was laughing at James, and though it might hurt him a bit to know that, Sirius thought maybe he could get James to realize that all people didn't fall in love the second they saw a pretty face. "Yeah- sorry, mate, she was laughing at you."  
"Man, that bites!" said James, clenching his hands into fists. "Well, you know what, Sirius- I've just gotta be cool, then. Chicks love that stuff, right?"  
  
(Anna would like to assure y'all that she has now created a monster, and that we shall try to fix this later. Anyways, Whitney!)  
Sirius stared at James. "What, d'you want to marry her or something?"  
James stared back, then laughed. "Man, I'm only eleven! Nah... I'm not to that point anyway. She's gotta like me first." He said with a devilish grin.  
Sirius shook his head. "Whatever..."  
They spent the rest of the day wandering around Diagon Alley, pressing their noses against the Quality Quidditch Supplies window, trying to sneak into Knockturn Alley, and constantly bumping into Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who fretted over every little thing.  
By the end of the day, James was rather reluctant to leave Sirius. He hadn't had very many friends on Athene Street, and Sirius had been really nice to him. But Mrs. Potter insisted that they go, saying, "Oh, Jamie, you need your rest! You can see your friend on the Hogwarts Express next week." James frowned. An entire week?! That would seem like forever!  
  
Well, I'll answer reviews later, seeing as the stupid internet isn't working... I hate wireless internet sometimes. 


	3. Aboard the Hogwarts Express

DISCLAIMER: Yes! I own Harry Potter! cackles insanely Yay! Now I get to go to the room with the pillows on the walls... (I don't actually own it, just to let you know...)  
  
A/N 5-17: No, the internet's not working... still. I'm gonna call my dad and tell him to fix it, but he'll just tell me to work on my report using all the tapes and stuff that my mom has, seeing as she's obsessed with The Beatles... hums Can't Buy Me Love But this, I believe, is my favorite chapter so far. You'll see why...  
  
CHAPTER 3- Aboard the Hogwarts Express  
  
(Whitney... I believe this is the first time I've ever actually started a chapter)  
  
James had counted down the days until the first of September. He walked as fast as he could from the car to King's Cross Station, racing down to Platform 9 ¾. Mrs. Potter wiped tears away with a handkerchief, saying something about how proud she was of him. After holding him in a tight hug, she let him go to find a seat on the train. "We'll send you an owl as soon as we get home!" she called as he stepped onto the train.  
As James walked down the corridor, he watched his fellow students with interest. A tall, thin girl with blonde hair and braces (a muggle device used to straighten teeth) sat in a compartment, along with another tall girl, this one with shoulder length red hair. They both seemed to be in fifth year and they were giggling insanely. "Anna, d'you know where Whit is?" the blonde asked.  
"Nah, she said something about going to find her mum, though..." the other girl answered.  
James was about to walk down the corridor to search for a free compartment when a girl with long brownish blonde hair bumped into him. "Hey, watch it!" She said, going into the compartment with the giggling girls. He heard, "Beth, I found-"before deciding to walk on.  
Finding a seemingly empty compartment, James sighed in relief and sat down, only to jump up in surprise.  
"Ouch! You're sitting on me!"  
James looked around confusedly. "Huh? Who's there?"  
Out of thin air, a voice said, "I'm invisible... my name is Robert. Robert T. Orange."  
"Oh, well, sorry to bother you, Robert," James said as he ducked out of the compartment.  
  
(Okay, so that wasn't as long as I thought it was... Anna!)  
  
He wandered up and down the cars, trying to find a seat, which was made a very hard task, as he now had to avoid invisible people as well as visible-  
"Oi! James!" called a voice.  
"Sirius! Great to see you, mate!"  
"What do you say we find ourselves a compartment?"  
"Uh- you pick one. Last time I sat on an invisible guy..."  
"Brilliant! Could we go see him?"  
"You can't see him, he's invisible-"  
"That's not what I meant..."  
"STUDENTS. FIND YOUR SEATS! STUDENTS TO YOUR SEATS! THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS WILL BE LEAVING IN FIVE MINUTES!" announced the magical speakers on the top of each car.  
"Okay, then, let's just go to the one farthest back."  
"Right," agreed James.  
Reaching the last compartment, they saw it was already occupied by a thin boy with dark circles under his eyes and an ill-favored look about him.  
"Any invisible people in this compartment?" asked James.  
The boy jerked, then asked, "What are you talking about?"  
"Guess there isn't any, then, James," said Sirius, flumping into a seat opposite the peaky-looking boy. When James seemed reluctant, Sirius said, "C'mon, he doesn't bite," gesturing to the unhealthy looking boy.  
The boy stiffened, but didn't say anything. "So, what's your name?" asked Sirius.  
"Remus- Remus Lupin," he muttered.  
"Great to meet you!" Sirius grinned, pumping Remus's hand.  
Remus jumped, then smiled wanly. "So- y' don't mind-"  
"Mind what?"  
Remus's pale face flushed. "Nothing... nothing..."  
But he said it too quickly for James to believe it.  
"D-d'you mind if I-I-I-"there was a small boy, almost the opposite of Remus Lupin. Plump, with red cheeks and mousy hair.  
"Sure, you can come in!" said James.  
"Okay..." the boy edged furtively... "I-I'm Peter- Peter Pettigrew- I'm, ah, It's my first year here, I mean, H-Hogwarts, too- not just the train- I mean, um..."  
"Hello, Peter!" said James happily. "Now we'll each have three friends first day at Hogwarts, you can't do much better than that."  
"O-okay-"said Peter. Remus stared at his shoes.  
James thought, 'Well, they're okay. Could be worse people for friends. Besides, these two could probably use more help fitting in than Sirius or me...'  
"Pettigrew,... haven't heard that name before. What do your parents do?"  
"Uh- my mum's a-a... y'know. She works at a store- for clothes."  
"Madam Malkin's?" asked James politely.  
"No-not a-a wizard's store or anything..."  
"So you're a muggle born?" asked Sirius.  
"I dunno. W-what's a m-m-mu-"  
"Muggle," said James. "It's what wizards call non-magic folk."  
"W-well, then my mum and dad are, y'know, m-muggles."  
"Brilliant!" said Sirius.  
"W-why?" he whispered.  
"'Cause I'm staging a rebellion! I'm tired of all my mum's pureblood nonsense! I'm gonna make friends with all the muggle-borns in the school!"  
"R-really? I couldn't, y'know, d-do something like that... rebellion, y'know..."  
"Sure, you could!" said James. "Anyone could!"  
"N-no. I'm too scared. But you're really brave..."  
"Thanks," said James and Sirius, flattered.  
"I'm not brave," mumbled Remus.  
  
(WHITNEY! giggles)  
  
"Why d'you say that?" James asked.  
Remus shrugged," I just am." He replied lamely.  
"N-no! You're b-brave! You're brave t-to be my friend!" replied Pettigrew in his squeak-like voice.  
Remus smiled wanly. "Okay, I guess I'm kinda brave..."  
  
(BETH! giggles some more)  
  
"Something from the trolley, dears?" asked a witch from the hall.  
"Yeah. I'm starving!" James said as his (well, as his mom would say) tummy agreed.  
"Um, nothing for me. My mom insists I don't have non- um, candy." Lupin said.  
After they pigged out on candy (Even Lupin had a Chocolate Frog or two), the blonde with braces walked in. Sirius froze.  
"Excuse me, have you seen an owl? My friend, Whitney, lost hers." It was the tall giggling blonde with braces that James had overheard.  
"No, was that your friend who knocked me over?" James asked curiously.  
"Yeah, sorry. She was in a hurry. By the way, I'm Beth."  
Just then the other blonde walked in. "We found her! She was by some cute sixth years!"  
"Oooh! Sixth years, eh? Well, bye firsties!"  
"You know her?!" exclaimed Sirius.  
"Well, I overheard her conversation. Why? Who is she? I know she's Beth, but what of it?"  
"Oh, nothing. Except, of course, she's a Weird Sister!"  
"A Weird Sister?" asked Lupin.  
"Yeah, they're this killer band and they perform for the school sometimes. My cousin told me!"  
"Wicked!" said James.  
"So, who's the other girls?" asked Lupin.  
"Whitney and Anna. They're really pretty and smart!"  
For the next half hour they talked about the Weird Sisters.  
"WE WILL BE ARIVING IN FIVE MINUTES!" called the voice on the intercom.  
After a quick change, they started walking down the hall (Sirius looked in ever compartment for the Weird Sisters.) James was just wishing that his new friends would be in the same house as he was when the train stopped to a sudden halt. There was a great hustle and bustle to get out of the train.  
"First years, first years this way!"  
As James walked over to a very tall man with wild hair and small, black eyes that glittered like tiny beetles in the lantern light. He felt Peter shudder at his side. (Oooh... I added that stuff. Shh, don't tell her!)  
The first years followed the man down to what seemed to be a steep and narrow path.  
"You'll get yer first sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," yelled the man, still walking on. "No more'n four ter a boat!"  
As they all stumbled into a boat, Peter said, "M-maybe I'm n-not really a w-wizard..."  
"Of course you are!" said James confidently. He gasped as they passed through a curtain of ivy, getting his first glimpse of Hogwarts.  
"Wow, I didn't think it would be that big!" said Lupin.  
  
Well, no reviews yet, seeing as I'm not connected with the internet... frowns I'm never going to finish my report! AHHHH! 


	4. The Sorting

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Harry Potter universe... yes, it's a universe now. Not just a world. A universe....  
  
A/N 5-17: grumbles Nope, still no internet. I shall apologize to Erica, Daisy, Megan, Kirby, Robyn and Vicki for not being on now. SORRY! And I'll apologize to everyone for not getting this up sooner. I wouldn't be in such a predicament if I'd typed it before... dances we're watching LOTR:FOTR in band because we have nothing else to do! But I get fitted for my marching uniform tomorrow... I'll end up getting someone's used uniform, and it'll be too big or too small... Ah well. And just to let you know, there are some hints of our daily lives in there... giggles you have to pay attention to past author's notes...  
  
CHAPTER 4: The Sorting.  
  
(Beth)  
  
"Here they are, Professor."  
"Thank you, Hagrid. Follow me, please." The professor said with a stern looking on her face. They did as they were told, following her all they way to the doors of the Great Hall.  
"Welcome to Hogwarts, the start-of-term banquet will begin shortly. But before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has a history and each has produced outstanding wizards and witches. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose your points. At the end of the year the house with the most points gets awarded the House Cup. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school," said the professor. James realized that she had to have practiced that speech for the first years every year.  
A boy bumped into them.  
  
(Whitney)  
  
James looked at the boy. He had dark, greasy hair and a large nose that seemed as though it may have been broken once or twice. His face had a very sallow look to it.  
"Oh, sorry," James apologized to the boy.  
The boy shook his head. "It's alright. I'm Severus Snape," he said, putting his hand out.  
James shook Snape's hand. "I'm James Potter," he said cautiously. He didn't really like the boy, just by looking at him.  
Sirius walked up behind James, Remus and Peter close behind. "Who's this?" he asked, eyeing the lanky boy.  
"This is Severus," he motioned toward Snape. He turned back to his friends. "This is Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew."  
Severus frowned. "Pettigrew... I've never heard that surname before." He said thoughtfully.  
"Th-that's because I'm a-a-a m-muggle-born," Pettigrew squeaked.  
"A Mudblood!" Snape spat. "Potter, you shouldn't be hanging out with such filthy as mudbloods," he hissed.  
James frowned. This Snape was getting on his nerves. "Or maybe I shouldn't hang out with you," he said coolly. "C'mon, guys." He walked away from Snape, leading the little menagerie to the other side of the room. "What a git..." he commented once out of earshot.  
"W-what's a Mudblood?" Peter asked.  
Sirius sighed. "It's a really foul name for someone who's got muggle parents. Ya know, I really am sick of all this pure blood stuff. Next person that says pure bloods are better is gonna get it!" He raised his fists, nearly hitting a boy with honey blonde hair. "Sorry," he muttered.  
"That's okay!" the boy said cheerfully. "I'm really excited about the sorting! I hope I'm in Ravenclaw... or Gryffindor!" The boy stopped. "Okay... so what was I looking for?" he asked himself. "Oh yeah! You haven't found a pair of glasses, have you? I dropped them. I guess I'm just really clumsy sometimes."  
Remus bent over and picked something up off the ground. "Would these be it?" he asked politely.  
"Yep! Thanks!" The boy took his glasses and put them on. "Much better! I'm-"He started, but the professor came into the front hall once more, cutting him off.  
"They're ready for you now."  
Excitement rushed through James. He hoped he'd be in Gryffindor... well, Ravenclaw would be okay, too, he thought. He wanted to be with his new friends most of all. The stern looking professor lead them into the Great Hall. James looked around, staring at the bewitched ceiling and turning around to see his fellow classmates.  
"When I call your name, please come and sit on the stool. I shall place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted," announced the witch. She looked down at a long piece of parchment.  
"Black, Sirius."  
Sirius walked up to the front of the hall and sat on the stool. After a minute or so, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
Sirius jumped down from the stool, a large grin on his face as he headed over to the cheering Gryffindor table.  
"Dooley, Michaela."  
A tall girl with curly blonde hair walked up, her face one of terror.  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
The girl nearly sprinted to the table, taking a seat next to the three girls they'd met earlier.  
"Graye, Natasha."  
James didn't pay attention to the sorting going on. He was daydreaming, thinking about what house he would be in.  
The hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!", bringing James back to Earth.  
"Hagon, Alyssia."  
  
(Beth)  
  
A tall girl with shoulder length brown hair walked up as calm as can be. She sat there for the longest time, then finally-  
"HUFFLEPUFF!"  
  
(Whitney)  
  
"Love, Devin" was put into Slytherin. James was starting to get anxious now. When would his name come up?  
  
(Beth)  
  
"Lupin, Remus."  
The paler than normal Lupin walked up to the hat. The hat sat on his head for a while and the...  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
Still very pale, Lupin went to sit by Sirius.  
  
(Whitney)  
  
James was really anxious now. Would he be in Gryffindor with Sirius and Remus? Thinking for a while, he didn't' pay attention until he heard, "Ochoa, Eric."  
The bespectacled boy he had seen before walked up eagerly, jamming the hat on his head.  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
  
(Beth)  
  
"O'Neil, Ashley," was made a Slytherin.  
"Pettigrew, Peter."  
Peter looked like he would rather eat a slug. He walked up to the stool. He sat for the longest time out of everyone. James felt sorry and hoped that he really was a wizard. Then finally...  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
(Whitney)  
  
Peter let out a little squeak and sprinted toward the Gryffindor table, plopping down next to Remus.  
"Potter, James."  
James jumped, his heart beating wildly against his ribcage. It was his turn! Being careful not to trip over himself as he made his way to the front, he sat on the stool. He felt the hat being set on his head. It slowly slid over his eyes.  
Hmmm... said a voice in his head. Where should I put you? Let's see... James suddenly realized that the hat was talking to him. 'Please, let me be with my friends!' he thought to himself. The rip in the brim of the hat opened wide and shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
(Anna)  
  
He payed little attention to the rest of the names called. When everyone had been called, he noticed there was food on the plates. Taking it all in, he ignored everyone else until dessert, when they all started to talk again. Peter was exclaiming at the things Sirius, James, and Remus considered normal, such as appearing food, the ghosts flying overhead, and Quidditch, which James was describing to him.  
"Being a muggle must be so dull. Imagine, no Quidditch?!" said James. "You wait, Peter, they've got a school Quidditch tournament, and flying lessons for the first years. That's why we can't bring brooms, see? They have the lessons so people don't get hurt-"  
Dumbledore was standing, and everyone went quiet. "Welcome, first years," he said, "And welcome back to those who have been here in previous years. Before bed, I have a few announcements. First, that our new Divination teacher is Professor Peters. She has graciously come all the way from the United States of America, where she taught choir in a muggle school."  
"Brilliant!" said Sirius to James, "she's a foreigner and she taught Muggles- prefect for my rebellion!"  
Dumbledore spoke again. "Secondly, that the forest on the grounds is out of bounds to our students."  
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" James asked Sirius with a sly smile.  
"Definitely," said Sirius.  
"Thirdly and lastly," said Dumbledore, "May we all have a good school year."  
The occupants of the Great Hall cheered raucously, and, with a clatter, everyone milled about towards the doors.  
"First years," called a Prefect, "Gryffindor first years follow me to the house dormitory."  
They followed her through the twists and turns, up a flight of stairs, and through a tapestry, to find a large portrait of a fat lady in pink silk. "Password?" she asked imperiously. Peter gasped.  
"What?" asked James.  
"The- that picture's, well, it's talking."  
"Yeah, so?" said Sirius.  
"So," said Peter, "A picture is speaking to us and all you can say is so?!"  
"What, don't Muggle pictures talk?" asked James incredulously. He'd never heard of pictures that didn't talk. What was up with that?  
Peter just stared at him. The picture had opened. "Password? What was that password? Did anyone get the password?" asked Peter frantically.  
"Bravery," said Remus Lupin.  
"Sorry, I just didn't want to have to wait for someone to open it for me," said Peter.  
"No, the password- it's bravery," said Remus.  
"Oh," said Peter, embarrassed.  
The Prefect showed them their dormitory. Almost too exhausted to say good night, the four dressed in pajamas and went to bed.  
  
ARRRRRGH! It's still not working! kicks internet WORK! sighs Dang it... anyways, I'll just have one thing that's reviews... I dunno. Erica, you're probably getting all these chapters, one right after the other... giggles same with Megan. I dunno who else is reading them... 


	5. Hogwarts

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Don't own it.

A/N 5-17: Wooo! Same day! dances Okay, now we're back to angry face. makes angry face I hate the internet. I hate the internet. I hate the internet repeats forever and ever sighs Well, I have to stop now because I actually have to write it out on paper before I can type it. We always okay our stuff. giggles I love our little side comments in the margins of the paper. We've had entire conversations in our margins. Anna is talking about how the piece of paper is really really old. It's from... well, it was found with spelling papers from 3rd grade, so you do the math. And she says that they have kittens at their house... and that they are very cute! And we were talking about how it stinks that they're in first year, because they can't go to Divination or Care of Magical Creatures... we even have classes planned! Well, I need to get a different point of view up, so you can see this all again... cackles

A/N 11-04: FOR EVERYONE THAT'S WONDERING: No, we haven't died. We haven't stopped writing... The story is... my dogs ate my folder. is punched by sister Fine! I moved to Sweden to hide from the flying green monkeys- is hit again FINE! I took a long time on Harry Potter and the Magic Lamp, which meant we couldn't switch stories... Anywho, Anna wrote nearly forty pages over the summer, so I had a LOT to read. And now I've got another little something to put up on Not a story... but something... else. grins

REMINDER! Reviews are great... Reviewers get... one of those pens that change color to your body heat! Well, the ink color doesn't change, the actual pen. Color of your choice... waves them around C'mon....

CHAPTER 5: Hogwarts

(Anna... Erm, yeah, she wrote this all.)

James awoke to find Remus and Sirius talking about something. "Where he's gone-"Sirius was saying.

"Where who's gone?" asked James, yawning and rumpling his hair.

"Peter," said Remus, "He's off somewhere. We woke up and he was gone."

"Well, it's early, so we don't have any classes yet. Let's go down and look for him," said James.

Once dressed, the three boys went looking for Peter. It was difficult, because Hogwarts was so very large a castle, with so many secret passageways and such.

"If we ever find him, we should draw a map of Hogwarts," Sirius muttered. "We've seen so much of it just on the first day."

"Yeah, and I bet no one's ever made a map of Hogwarts!" James said excitedly.

"Maybe we'd find Peter faster if we split up," suggested Remus.

"Yeah, meet up back at the Great Hall at..." Sirius looked down at his watch, "Eight-o-clock for breakfast, whether we find him or not."  
"Aye-aye, cap'n," James joked. To interest himself while searching, he dreamed of that map... Tiny halls and statues danced in his fantasy, and before he knew it, his watch, having heard Sirius say 'eight-o-clock', announced "Breakfast time!"

Back at the Great Hall, neither Sirius nor Remus had had any luck finding Peter. "Where can he have gotten off to?"

"I say we search 'til about 8:45," said James. "That leaves us fifteen minutes to find our first class."

The three bolted down a quick breakfast which none of them remembered afterwards, and went off together to find Peter.

Walking hopefully down a newly found corridor, they heard someone's voice. But it wasn't Peter's. It was Snape's.

"Peter Pettigrew," Snape said, "You are of an inferior race, Mudbloods, and have been soiling the young members of three perfectly good pureblood houses with your filth. Your punishment is to be used as a practice target for spell casting. Perhaps now you will choose your friends more carefully, among other Mudbloods."

Burning with rage and indignation on behalf of Peter, James stepped into the room. "He's chosen his friends fine!"

"We won't abandon him," agreed Sirius from behind him.

"We don't care what sort of family he's got," James said.

"I know a certain pureblood that isn't worthy to lick Peter's shoes," said Sirius. The three boys stood together in the doorway, wands out. Faced with this union, the two who had been watching Snape scampered.

Snape knew what pureblood Sirius meant. "Imperio!" he shouted, pointing his wand at James. And then James was floating, floating...

Snapping suddenly back to reality, James held out his wand. Though unsure what he could do in a fight-he didn't know a bit of magic. Luckily for him, Snape ran off.

"Here, Peter," said James, helping him up.

"Thanks," he said, "I don't deserve you guys."

"Nor do I," Remus whispered, so quietly no one had heard.

"Of course you do! Don't listen to Snape- he's a git!" said James, "Peter, we've still got-"he checked his watch "Ten minutes to eight forty-five, then fifteen minutes to get to class!" it announced squeakily without being asked. Peter jumped.

"First pictures, now watches, how can Muggles get on without magic?" asked Sirius.

"Dunno," said James, "but, like I was saying, we can go get breakfast, we've got time."

"But we already ate!" said Sirius, "Y'can't still be hungry?!"

"I haven't eaten!" Peter piped up.

"Well, that's three votes for second breakfast, I guess," said Remus, "Or if you're not hungry, Sirius, we can do something else while James and Peter eat, I don't mind..."

"Nah, we'll all eat, let's go!" said Sirius.

"But-"said Peter, scurrying to keep up, "Where do we get breakfast?"

"In the Great Hall, didn't you hear that Prefect yesterday?"

"But where is the Great Hall? I can't find it and I've been up since dawn 'cause I knew I'd have trouble finding my way but this is ridiculous- the pictures keep moving, I'm sure half the staircases I've gone down went to different places than I came from when I went back up and look at this-"he went over to the nearest door and pulled it open. Right behind it was a solid wall with blue-flowered wallpaper. "It doesn't go anywhere at all! This place is insane, how'm I s'posed to find anything-"

"With a map?" James suggested.

"They gave out maps?! Why didn't I get one?"

"No, no, there are no maps of Hogwarts, but imagine- if we were to make the first one..."

"How can we make a map when we can't even find the Great Hall-"

"Who said we couldn't? Where d'you think we had our first breakfast at, Peter? The Great Hall's that way- yeah, just up the stairs, and then turn right..."

"Why did they make a castle like this- doors that lead to no where... trick staircases-"Peter grumbled under his breath.

They reached the Great Hall with minutes to spare, got down breakfast (or in James, Sirius, and Remus's case, second breakfast), and grabbed a first year course schedule each. This Wednesday was:

9:00 Charms- Classroom 7, Professor Flitwick

10:30 Herbology- Greenhouse 1, Professor Sprout

12:00Lunch- Great Hall, recess permitted in House common room or outdoors

1:00 Care of Magical Creatures- Classroom 6, Professor Kettleburn

2:30 Astronomy- Classroom 4, Professor Baker and Sinistra

If you are uncertain where a classroom is, a Prefect will be happy to direct you to it.

"What kind of classes are _those_?" asked Peter. "I mean- I knew Hogwarts would be different from non-magic schools, but I expected- you know, sort of the same classes- plasma magic class- and what's the deal with all the classes being in different classrooms?"

"Shouldn't they be?" asked James confusedly, "So- these classes are different? What do they learn in Muggle schools?"

"Er... Science, and, um, Math, and... Reading..."

"Reading? What d'you need to go to school to learn that for? Besides, you wouldn't learn to read 'til you were eleven- Muggles are so weird- wait, you mean you can't read yet?!"

"'Course I know how to read," said Peter, offended. Then some of what James had said sunk in. "What?! Wizards don't go to school 'til they're _eleven_?!" Peter cried.

"Of course not, can you imagine the mayhem if a little kid got their hands on a wand- they could hurt themselves-"said Sirius, surprised.

"But- what do they do- how do they _learn_..."

"Learn what?" said Remus confusedly.

Peter looked from one young wizard to another, clearly at a loss for words.

"Eight forty-five, fifteen minutes for find Charms Class," announced James's watch brightly.

"Right," said Sirius, still looking at Peter strangely. "Classroom seven- I think I saw it up that way- let's go."

Sirius did indeed remember where the Charms classroom was, and the fifteen minutes they'd left themselves to find it were spent sitting in the desks, watching a tiny little wizard (Professor Flitwick, presumably,) readying notes and piling large books behind his desk on the floor, James assumed for standing on, as the desk hid the short wizard completely from view. The first student to come in was the tall, curly blonde girl James had watched be sorted into Gryffindor, accompanied by another face familiar from sorting, with shoulder-length brown hair. A few minutes wait, then a group of five: four boys- short with stick up hair worse than James's, long and lanky, tall and brown-haired, and one of average height with long, white-blonde hair. The girl following them was pretty and had short, silky-brown hair. A short time passed, then a rather plain girl, followed a few seconds later by something weird, even for a wizard-five seemingly identical strawberry blonde girls in a tight-knit group. After wiping his glasses thoroughly, James concluded that they were five girls, and he wasn't just seeing things. _Cool!_ He thought- _some classes get twins, but we get quints-_ he stared at them a bit more- he'd never even seen triplets...

A few more people sat down, then Professor Flitwick climbed up on his books. "Settle down, first years, settle down while I call roll-" but another girl came in just then. A certain redhead.

"Sorry, Professor," apologized Lily Evans, "I only found the classroom-"

"Quite alright, young lady, I was just about to call roll. Find your seat, so I can begin."  
James's eyes followed Lily to her seat, but he had to listen to roll so he didn't miss his name.

Again, "Black, Sirius," was the first on the list, then Dooley, Michaela; Evans, Lily (James grinned); Hagan, Alissia; Horida, Hirato; Jonouchi, Katsuaya; Liberski, Allison; Lupin, Remus; Mazaki, Anza; Mutou, Yugi; Pettigrew, Peter; Potter, James ("Here!"); Read, Douglas; Ryou, Bakura; Stripey, Isis; Weasley, Daisy; Weasley, Lily; Weasley, Misty; Weasley, Sally; and Weasley, Violet.

After this, Professor Flitwick told them about a kind of charm they were going to learn, including one that interested them all, making things fly- and started teaching them their first spell, a simple one, 'Blancus' to turn things white. They took notes on how to move the hand, how to pronounce it Flitwick had told them an amusing story about a wizard who'd accidentally turned a doxy into a buffalo rather than paralyzing it because of incorrect pronunciation.

At the end of class, Flitwick passed out small pieces of colorful parchment that they were to turn white. "Blancus," said James, twirling his wrist. "Wait, that's not right- you twirl it like that..." he muttered. "Blancus!" he repeated. The lurid orange faded to pearly white. "I did it!" he said happily.

"Me too, mate!" said Sirius on his right, holding up a once-blue scrap of parchment.

"I can't seem to get it right-"said Remus. "It's a bit paler green, but-"

"Here, you need to move your wrist like this," said James, showing him.

"Blancus!" said Remus. The parchment turned white.

"How'd you do that?" asked Peter.

"Okay, wave your wand like this-"

"Like that?"

"No, too much twirl- it's a wrist thing..."

"Blank-is!" said Peter, shaking his wrist.

"No, you've got to-"

"Class ends in ten minutes, I'm going to come round and see if you've made any progress-"squeaked Flitwick over various voices saying Blancus! Blancus!

"Oh, help..." moaned Peter, "What if he sees I can't do it-"he put his head down on the desk.

"He won't," said James. "Get up, and we'll fix your spell before he comes 'round. Right- watch carefully now- now move your wand like that- no. Act like you're making a little circle, then stop suddenly right there- good, you've done it. Now, it's _Blahn_-kuss," he said, sounding it out slowly and clearly. "Just a bit more emphasis on the Blahn- let me hear you say it now-"

"Blan-cus," said Peter nervously.

"Good! Now get your wand, and try again."

"Blancus." The deep purple sheet lightened just a bit.

"You need to move your wand a bit faster, like me, see?"

"Blancus!" The paper turned white. "I did it! I can do magic! I can do magic!"

"Let me see, young man," squeaked Professor Flitwick. "Ah, yes- very good! You see, class, Mr. Pettigrew's done it!"

"They did it first-"murmured an embarrassed Peter, pointing at the three to his right.

"Really? Yes, I see! Splendid! Do you know, this is the only time I've had four in a first-year class master that spell in one day! Congratulations, and five points to Gryffindor each, I think, mmmm?"

When the bell rang the four ran down to the Great Hall to look at the twenty tiny rubies lying on the bottom of the Gryffindor Hourglass. "Twenty points on our first day!"

"First day's not over yet," said James.

"Thirteen hours, forty minutes until Thursday," said his watch helpfully.

"How long 'til next lesson?"

"Ten minutes until Herbology Class," the watch's tinny voice announced.

"Wasn't that in Greenhouse One or somewhere?" Peter asked the watch. It didn't answer.

"Y'can't ask a watch that," said James amusedly, "It only tells the time."

"It's ten-twenty-one AM," said the watch helpfully.

"What, do Muggle watches tell where stuff is?"

"No, they do even less than magic watches..."

"Anyway, we'd better get to Greenhouse one," said Sirius, "Does anyone know where it is?"

"We could ask a Prefect," suggested Remus.

"Nah," said James," If we're going to make a map of Hogwarts we've gotta be able to find things for ourselves, or else how can we expect to guide others?"

"Guess that makes sense," said Remus.

"The greenhouses have gotta be outside, don't they?" said Sirius.

"Yeah, so out through the Entrance Hall, this way!" said James, leading the way.

It was a warm day, with the blue of a lake and the yellowing leaves of a forest in the background, making it very colorful. Everything was still, and it looked like they had walked out the door into a painting.

A half-dozen glass-pane structures shone in the sun. "The greenhouses!" The four boys sprinted towards them. "Which one's Greenhouse One?"

"Er... I dunno... They all look the same to me..."

"Greenhouse One over here, chaps!" called a young witch with flyaway hair. "Once the other first years get here we can begin," Professor Sprout said.

Slowly the rest of the class found them. There was Lily, the curly blonde, and the Weasley quints, but the rest of the class was different- including honey-blonde Eric and a girl vaguely familiar from the Sorting. Abruptly, James guessed that each class had the first years from two different house- and sure enough, all the newcomers' badges proclaimed them Ravenclaws. _So- the others- Lily and the rest of the girls- will be in all the same classes as us! Brilliant! All my classes are with Lily!_ James thought, _I'll be able to talk to her sometime!_

"Right, then," said Professor Sprout when everyone had arrived and settled down, "First year we'll be learning about common plants that are used in potion making, but not inherently magical. Today we'll be caring for Black Nightshade. Can anyone tell me what they know about the Black Nightshade plant? No?

"Well, Black Nightshade is quite common, even in Muggle gardens, though they consider it a weed. Various parts of it are used in potions, though all of it is poisonous and _should not be eaten._ Now, listen, I don't want our first class together to be a bad one- Do _not _eat the Black Nightshade plant unless it has been properly prepared in a potion. Got that? Good, we can get started, then."

They spent this class, until the lunch bell, tending small, bushy, green –and-white Black Nightshade plants, then headed in to wash up for lunch. After their sandwiches they had a rousing discussion of the merits of various Quidditch teams that were still in the running for the Cup, finally asked by a bewildered Peter _what _sport they were talking about- he'd never heard of any Wimbourne Wasps-

Again they were the first to arrive at the classroom and they found that they were again with the Hufflepuffs as their Charms class straggled in- one at a time or in groups.

"Ahem," a rough voice cleared its throat at the front of the class. Professor Kettleburn was an intense, tough-looking wizard with a hook where his right hand should have been. Three half-healed, parallel scratches ran under one eyes, as though something had raked him with its claws. "Welcome to Care of Magical Creatures class, First Years," he rasped. "In the first year, we will not be doing much with living creatures. Though we will see some, most of our time this year will be spent studying them so we know how to act when we encounter them. Each day I will put you with a partner. I expect you to cooperate with that partner on the mission that has been set for you-"his glaring eyes seemed to say _or else_, "Any questions?" he growled menacingly. James wouldn't have dared to raise his hand for a million galleons. "Good," he grunted when no one spoke.

"When I've told you who your partner is you will proceed to the library, where you and your partner will look up the information to write a report on how beasts are classified differently from beings and the history of that classification. You will turn in the report at the end of class. You and your partner will receive the same grade, so it is in your best interests to work together to make the best report possible, understood? Very well."

To James's relief, he was partnered with Sirius. They high-tailed it to the library as fast as they could without running. "Right, then," said Sirius, "We'd better get started, I don't want to think about what _he'd _do if we didn't turn one in on time-"

As the rest of the class filed in in pairs, Sirius and James grabbed a few likely-looking volumes, then sat at a corner table to sort through them. The text book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, was helpful, as was Wizard's Council to Ministry of Magic- A Study of Non-humans in Government. By the end of class they had managed a very good report, they thought, at least, and handed it in before leaving to Astronomy.

They'd passed Classroom 4 looking for Peter, so they had little trouble finding it again. Professor Baker was a nice old man, and Sinistra was a young woman apparently learning how to be a teacher before she took any actual teaching post.

They spent Astronomy class chatting, as Professor Baker thought everyone should get to know each other and make friends. At the end of class he announced, "All right, everybody, you've all got to have checkups with Madam Pomfrey and Hr. Barclay right after class, so I'm going to take you on to the Hospital Wing now. There's a periodic checkups for everyone, so we know you're healthy. Whenever you get a checkup, the teachers will send an owl with the results of that checkup along with your grades home to your family. Right, now. Hospital Wing's over here."

They all squeezed into the little room. "Right, First Years, Gryffindor," said a witch's voice, though James couldn't see over the others' heads where she was. "I'll call your names-no, I'll just grab the nearest one, how'll that be, then we won't have as much trouble finding them in this-"

James edged around the crowd, Sirius close behind him. He'd seen an open space through all the feet- There. A short hall between the room they were in and Hr. Barclay's office. It was blocked off with a 'Work in Progress' sign attached to a rope, but James ducked under it, then Sirius. It was so crowded no one noticed this bit of rule-breaking, and James wasn't about to stand out in that crowd if he could escape it this easily. "Where d'you reckon Peter and Remus are?"

"Probably lost them back there," replied Sirius, indicating the milling mass of voices and fellow First-years.

"Right," said James, examining the corridor. Its walls were of dark wood panels, which, combined with the lack of torches, made if very shadowy place indeed... In fact, that shadow over there...

Startled, James stepped in to get a closer look. A girl, about fourth-year by the looks of her, was crouched there with her ear pressed to the door of Hr. Barclay's office. Spotting him, she pressed a finger to her lips and mouthed, grinning mischievously, "Listen." James and Sirius pressed their own ears to the door., A man's voice from inside insisted excitably:

"I tell you, the kid's a psychopath! I have studied psychology for twenty-four years, Dumbledore, and all the signs show-"

"I do not believe Penny to be a psychopath, a sociopath, or any other kind of path you have accused her of being, Reginald," answered an old man's voice.

James heard an almost stifled giggle, and turned to the girl. "I'm psycho!" she mouth and then lapsed into silent giggles. When she had control of herself, she whispered, "I'm trying for multiple personalities next!"

"You did that?" he whispered back. "You messed with-"

"With his emotional checkup. It's great fun, you should try it sometime!"  
"Er... No thanks..." whispered James, imagining what his mum would do if his checkup proclaimed him a psychopath.

"Well," she said, pressing her ear to the door again, "They're almost done, we'd better get out of here before Broccoli comes out here and assumes we're plotting to murder him or something. I'm psycho, remember? The pathetic thing is that he really believes that."

They ducked out from under the rope. "See you, then, and mind you don't behave yourselves!" she said, heading through a much emptier room to the door.

"Cool," said Sirius. "I'd try it myself, but-"

"I know, I'd rather not deal with people who think I'm psycho."

"Peter and Remus must've already gone," remarked Sirius.

There was only the two of them, the curly blonde and Lily Evans, who was chatting animatedly to the blonde with her back to them. Suddenly, James had an inspiration. Coming up slowly, quietly behind her, he grabbed a singly strand of hair between two fingers, then pulled. Lily didn't noticed the one hair and kept talking as James slipped quietly as possible back to stand by Sirius.

"What'd you do that for?"

James shrugged, but was saved from answering by Dumbledore and a disgruntled-looking man sweeping out of the Hospital Wing, Barclay still trying to continue Dumbledore that Penny was a raving lunatic.

Soon after, Madam Pomfrey pulled James into the check-up room.

Many prods, pinches and pokes later she pronounced him healthy and sent him on his way- out a different door to the Great Hall for dinner.

James quickly found Peter at the Gryffindor table. "Have you seen Remus?" he asked.

"No, he wasn't there when I got my check-up-"

"I know, he went before me, but I can't find him..."

This seemed to satisfy Peter, who immediately started on some pork. James, however, still asked Sirius if _he _had seen Remus, by any chance. But Sirius said he hadn't.

"Oh, I'm sure he's just gone up to the common room or something. Or maybe he's gone to bed early, he looked tired..."

But James was thinking of Peter's disappearance this morning. What if Snape had decided on revenge?

Remus was not in the common room when they went through the portrait hole, nor in the dormitory of four-poster beds they'd slept on last night.

"He's all right," Sirius assured them, too often to just be reassuring _them_, James thought.

Remus did not come back all night, and in the morning James resolved to tell a teacher he was missing.

At breakfast the next morning, he got his chance. Professor McGonagall, the stern witch who had told them about sorting and houses and such when they'd first arrived, was pacing around the tables and making sure everyone behaved.

"Er... Professor, Remus, he's another Gryffindor First year, he didn't get back after the checkup yesterday, and we think someone's-"

"Mr. Lupin will be back shortly, Mr. Potter," she interrupted.

"What? Where's he gone? How shortly?-"

"Where Mr. Lupin has gone is his own business, Potter, and he will be back _shortly_.

"But, Professor-"

"I will not repeat myself again, Potter. You'd best be off to class, the bell will be ringing shortly."

"Shortly, shortly, everything's _shortly_," James muttered as she turned on her heel and marched over to tell off some second-years for throwing oranges at each other.

"So, is she gonna find Remus?" asked Sirius, who had just come up behind him.

"She knows where he is, but she won't tell me, all she'll say is he'll be back shortly..."

"He's all right, then?" said Peter, joining them.

"I guess so, she said he'd be back..."

"Stop worrying, James, he's okay, he'll be back..."

"Guess you're right. What class have we got first?"

"History of Magic, Classroom 2- that one, see it?"

"Right, then we'd better be getting over there."

History of Magic was taught by an ancient-looking wizard named Binns. When the bell rang, he started to recite, without preamble, and in a monotonous drone, the doings of Medieval wizards: "Then the Muggle boy she had stirring the potion burned his hand on it and then he was a wizard because the potion which has never been duplicated made Muggles into wizards or witches and then she got mad at him and-"

_It would be interesting enough if he'd act like it was a story... _thought James, _but like this it gets real it gets real tedious_- "And then the boy went to the king of Cornwall and her said-"

James managed to listen to most of it (with difficulty), but he was glad to escape with the bell.

"Dull class, wasn't it?" commented Sirius, "Oh, well, there had to be one boring one... Defense Against the Dark arts next, Room 3..."

In Defense Against the Dark Arts they learned _Expelliarmus, _the disarming charm. James was the first to master it, followed a second later by Sirius, and earning Gryffindor House ten more points.

In the next class, Transfiguration, which was governed by the stern witch who had refused James in formation on Remus's whereabouts, Professor McGonagall. They took complicated notes before attempting to turn a matchstick into a needle. He surprised everyone, including himself, by doing it the first time. Sirius managed it not long after. Peter was given homework with the rest of the class, as James and Sirius had been the only ones to do it properly.

The last class of the day, Potions, was taught by the Quidditch coach. She said any First Years interested in flying lessons could come by the Quidditch pitch after lessons and have a go on the school brooms after she explained it.

"No fair," whined Peter, following the Gryffindors back to the common room. "Why'd I have to do homework and you two get to do what you want?"

"'Cause we can turn a match into a needle, that's why," said James. "Practice it and you won't get homework next time."

"So-er- what d'you want to do?" asked Sirius once they were alone in the Entrance Hall.

"Did you want to- I dunno- go to the –er...flying"

"Yeah," said Sirius, relieved. "I-I've never done it before..."

"Really? Me neither! My mum thinks I'll get hurt-"

"_It's not a proper occupation of a Black's time_," mimicked Sirius in a high, nasal voice.

James laughed. "Okay, this is great! I was worried I'd be the only one who hadn't ridden a broomstick before!"

They arrived on the Quidditch pitch. The risers stood fifty feet high all around them, and James could imagine the cheers of an invisible crowd as he, James, stepped onto the field...

But the only other person there was the Potions teacher, Professor Pandora. "Come for the flying lessons? Good. We'll start now and if anyone else comes, we'll just review. Right, hand over brooms..." James and Sirius held out their hands over two of the brooms lying on the grass. "... And say up."

"Up!" James and Sirius chorused, and the brooms jumped to their waiting hands.

"Now, mount it like this-"they imitated here, "And you may go when I blow the whistle- with the two of you I don't have to worry so much about someone getting into trouble and me not noticing, you see how that all works out nicely? Right, then- three, two, one..." She blew the whistle.

If James had ever had any doubts about flying, they were washed away the second he rose into the air. _This is amazing!_ he thought, the wind ruffling his already messy hair as he tried a swoop that skimmed his toes on the leaves, making them fly up in little clouds and whirlwinds in his slipstream. Behind him, he heard Sirius laugh out of pure exhilaration. The boys raced from one end of the field to the other. "Whoo!" came James's delighted cry. Encouraged by Sirius's answering whoop, he let out a longer Whoo-hoo! that echoed through the clear cool afternoon air.

**AbbieNormal182**- The first chapter is just comparing them... It's kind of confusing. And yup, James is silly. Well, we make him silly at least. But we're all silly people, Anna, Beth and I, so I guess you can blame us. Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you're still writing your stories.

**Loki Mischeif-Maker-** Thanks! Your review is greatly appreciated. Anna has great ideas, I know... her parallel thing in the first chapter is great.

I'm really confused... I must've answered Erica and Megan's reviews in Snape... shrugs Ah well.


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